There were a number of reasons I felt compelled to paint this unique part of Australia, all of them are abundant and profound. The forest in this area has survived for 135 million years. The original inhabitants, the Kuku Yalanji people, have inhabited the area for 50,000 years. It is home to 3,000 plant species, one third of Australia’s 315 mammal species and a river that runs with crystal clear waters from the mountains to the ocean.
To help portray a sense of nostalgia and nature, I chose to paint the picture on reclaimed timber to emphasise the textures of the natural landscape.